Back in mid-February — on Valentine’s Day, in fact — I included Aviate in a collection of 5 great Android apps that can do amazing things the iPhone cannot. The app was using a queue system for new users, and it often took more than a week for new accounts to be activated. Receiving an invite from an existing Aviate user would bypass the queue and give users instant access, and I mentioned in my coverage that I had a few invites left.
Four months later, people still contact me almost every day looking for invites — that’s how hot Aviate is among Android users. And now, Yahoo-owned Aviate has finally opened up the app so that anyone can begin using it as soon as they download it.
Now dubbed “Yahoo Aviate Launcher,” Aviate lists the following highlights in its app page description:
KEY FEATURES:
★ Simple, beautiful navigation — Transforms your phone into four, easy-to-navigate screens to make every interaction faster and more efficient.
★ Adapts to you — Shows you different apps based on your current context and time of day.
★ Stay organized — Automatically categorizes your apps into Collections based on function.
★ App recommendations — Recommends apps based on what you have installed and the latest ratings in Google Play.
★ Stay in touch — Contact your Favorite People with one swipe up instead of digging through your contacts.
★ Customizations for simplicity — Edit the apps in your Collections, choose between two Themes, create Shortcuts, install Icon Packs, add Widgets and change your Home Image to make Aviate you own.EVERYDAY USES:
★ Wake up, and Aviate automatically shows you how long you’ve slept, the weather and news for the day.
★ When at work, Aviate gives you easy access to all the apps you need to get your job done, plus intelligent calendar features like one-tap calling to conference calls, emailing to meeting attendees and more!
★ While on the road, Aviate automatically gives you traffic conditions and directions home.
★ Go to dinner, and Aviate automatically shows you photos, tips and restaurant reviews.
★ Plug in your headphones, and Aviate shows you music apps and extra information about the artist/band you’re listening to, like recent Tweets, upcoming concerts and bios.
Interested users can check out our original coverage for more on this awesome free Android launcher, and a download link follows below along with a video.
